


heart on my sleeve

by vityuu (nanahoney)



Series: Nathmarc November [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: First Dates, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Love Confessions, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Nathmarc November, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2018-11-01
Packaged: 2019-08-14 07:08:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16488029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nanahoney/pseuds/vityuu
Summary: Marc is so elated upon finally managing to ask Nathaniel out that, well.He doesn't consider that maybe he should have been more clear that he's asking him out.





	heart on my sleeve

**Author's Note:**

> The working title of this was 'first date - SIKES BITCH until it isn't' and that's all you need to know
> 
> Excuse any mistakes, i'm having computer problems so this isn't edited - i'm posting this on my phone so

“You can do it,” Marinette says, gentle encouragement in the hand resting on his shoulder as Marc looks up at the art classroom door looming above him. He fidgets and sighs, rubbing his sleeve over his face. His hands are cold and sweaty and his feet feel like they’re rooted to the ground. In other words no, no he can’t.

“But what if he says no?” He asks and hangs his head. He couldn’t imagine even managing to talk to Nathaniel a year ago, the stuttering and nervous mess that he was and he honestly still can’t now, but for a whole different, even scarier reason. There’s a difference between admiring someone, drinking in every line they drew like you’re a thirsty man just finding his oasis, with thousands of ideas just floating in your head from one picture and okay, maybe you have a tiny,  _ tiny _ crush on them - and  _ this _ , this feeling of wanting them to be happy at every cost, when it’s like everything’s alright in the world just because they smile at you, when you see their hand and think  _ I wonder if it’s warm, if it’s soft  _  and the urge to reach out and take is  _ insane _ but it’s  _ right there _ and…

No, he can’t do it.

There’s no way he can ask Nathaniel out on a date.

He has too much to lose, he thinks. He can’t risk a perfectly good friendship for such a selfish reason. He stuffs his hands into the pockets of his hoodie and slumps his shoulder with his deep breath. 

Marinette is smiling at him when he turns back to face her. “You won’t know that until you ask him,” she says softly and pats his shoulder. “But I have a feeling everything’ll go just fine, ok Marc?”

“You can’t know that,” he insists.

“And you can’t know he’ll turn you down either,” she points out and raises her eyebrows. “The worst thing he can say is no.”

“The worst thing he can say is  _ us _ ? _ Never going to happen _ ,” Marc says as he thinks back on the day he finally managed to come out of his shell enough for Nathaniel to see a glimpse of him, but he just spat it back in his face. They had a long day that day, sat down on a bench in the park where Nathaniel explained himself, his bangs in front of his eyes as he slumped into himself and apologized over and over again, until Marc reached out to awkwardly pat his shoulder and assure him he’s forgiven. 

Marinnette winces at the reminder. “He won’t this time,” she insists and shakes her head. “He won’t, ok? And if he does, I’ll - I’ll kick his ass for you.”

That startles Marc into a laugh, relaxing his shoulders and even though something in his stomach still hurts, he’s not three seconds away from running away anymore. “Thanks, Marinette. You’re a good friend.”

Marinette smiles at him. “Any time. Go get him, ok?” She gives him a thumbs up. He nods and takes a big breath then, before he can lose his nerves, he pushes the big door open. 

The room is loud when he goes in, filled with laughter and teasing words thrown around as everyone works. It’s warm and cosy and Marc loves being in here, at first only watching everyone interact with each other but, slowly, being coaxed out of his shell enough to throw around teasing remarks like it’s nothing, with his legs crossed on the chair he’s sat on and his notebook perched on the table, filled with scribbles and ideas he and Nathaniel still need to flesh out.

But walking in now, like this, with his heart in his throat and on his sleeve, he feels just like he did the first time he came in, with Marinette introducing him to everyone and giving him that final push. Only now, the only person who can give him his final push is himself because, while everyone’s shouting their greetings, Marinette is hiding behind the door frame with a big smile and a thumbs up.

“Hey, I was beginning to think you wouldn’t come,” Nathaniel calls from his spot at their table, with a broad smile and his sketchbook in his hands, waving at him. Marc smiles back because it’s  _ so easy  _ to as he heads over and takes a seat next to him, trying not to visibly curl up around himself.

“Sorry, got distracted talking to Marinette,” he says and it’s not really a lie. “I didn’t mean to keep you waiting.”

“It’s ok, don’t worry about it.” Nathaniel shakes his head and puts his sketchbook back down on the table. “I haven’t been doing all that much anyway, just trying to redesign the villain for our next volume.” A pause. “And failing.”

Marc stifles a laugh behind his hand. “Need some help?”

“Nah, it’s ok.” Nathaniel grins, seeming pleased with himself for whatever reason. “Got anything new? You texted me a bunch of keysmashes during the night and I know you only do that when you’re trying to write.”

“It’s hard to express the frustration I get from writing in words, my soul literally goes like that,” he insists as he reaches into his bag for his notebook.

“I know the feeling.” That makes Nathaniel laugh and Marc can’t help but smile, too. He opens his notebook to the page he has bookmarked and he can’t help but notice how suddenly, Nathaniel scoots his chair closer so now their shoulders are touching and he can almost feel his heat on his cheek with every exhale he makes. Marc can feel himself getting redder but he carries on as if he’s completely unaffected, pointing at certain lines as they talk through the random plot points Marc had brainstormed the day before.

And if sometimes Marc turns to Nathaniel just as Nathaniel turns to look at him, their noses bumping and breaths mingling, well, that’s ok, too. But Marc still looks away every time, trying not to let it show how affected he is even when his face flushes more.

The hours pass by, somehow, and the noises in the background get quieter as more and more people pack up and leave to go home. Marc sees Rose and Juleka leaving together when he turns around, hand in hand as Juleka laughs at something Rose had said. He can’t help but smile for them before he glances at his own hand and quickly looks away. Those thoughts are dangerous, especially when he still hasn’t managed to ask Nathaniel despite promising both Marinette and himself he’ll do it as soon as possible.

Oh well. That can wait for a bit more, so he can soak in the feeling of being so close, so casual with Nathaniel just in case he’ll never have this again.

-

“I think we’ve got everything,” Nathaniel says as he stretches out in the chair and checks the time. He laughs. “When did it get so late?”

Marc glances over at the clock, too, and his eyes widen. “Is it really this late? I hope they didn’t lock up the school…” He quickly gathers his stuff and puts them back in his bag. Then he realizes  _ oh, we’re all alone  _ and the traitorous thought makes his stomach hurt again, his hands stilling on the zipper. He glances at Nathaniel back over his shoulder and chews on his bottom lip.

_ Now’s the time _ , he thinks.  _ I can do it. _

The sky is starting to dip it’s blues into reds and oranges already, the setting sun coating the city in shadows, casting some through the window of the art classroom, as well.

“Nathaniel?” he says before he can lose his nerve. His stomach just starts hurting more and he stuffs his hands into his pockets to hide them. Nathaniel hums, glancing up from the backpack he was just stuffing his sketchbook in. Marc turns to fully face him.

“Do you… It’s fine if you don’t, but… do you want to go the movies this Saturday? With me?” He’s embarrassed by how his voice gets stuck in his throat at the end but there. He said it. If his heart didn’t feel like it was ready to jump straight out of his chest, he would have felt proud of himself.

Nathaniel blinks once, then twice, then his lips spread into an easy smile that brightens up his whole face, coated in a soft orange glow as it was. “Of course! I’d love to go, what time?”

The relief he feels from his words is so immense it makes his knees weak. He smiled right back. “Maybe 3? I can text you a more accurate time, I need to check the schedules.”

“Sure, sounds good.” Nathaniel slings his backpack over his shoulder.

This all feels almost too good to be true, Marc thinks but he won’t dare question it. He holds the door open for him and when they come to the main entrance, Nathaniel holds the door open for Marc and they talk so easily and wow, nothing much has changed. This transition from friends to two-people-going-on-a-date feels so natural.

-

Just as Marc throws himself on his bed, his smile dopey and chest warm with so much happiness Marc isn’t sure how he can contain it all, his phone rings. He doesn’t even need to check the ID to know who it is.

“I did it,” he says and he still can’t believe he can say it and actually mean it. On the other end, Marinette gasps.

“How did it go?” He can hear her grin even through the phone, her voice so high-pitched it must be masking the squeal she’s three seconds away from letting out. Marc lets out an airy laugh.

“He said yes,” he tells her and smiles so wide it hurts. He hides his face in the pillow. “Oh my god, he actually said yes.”

“That’s great! I’m so happy for you, Marc, I knew you could do it.”

“Thanks.” He rolls over onto his back and stares up at the shadows playing on the ceiling, at the city lights reflected in them, taking over every time a car passes. “I’m so happy. I’m pretty sure I’ll wake up tomorrow and think today’s a dream. I never thought he’d actually say yes.” He touches his aching cheeks and even though they hurt, he still can’t stop smiling. “Thanks for encouraging me to do this, Marinette. It always seems impossible until you actually try it.”

They talk for an hour more, until Marc’s mother knocks on his door and before she can get a word in he tells her too, and then his father when he comes downstairs for dinner, bouncing on his feet. They both gather him in a big hug, warm and welcoming, and Marc just melts into it. 

He really, really can’t wait for Saturday.

-

When Nathaniel gets home from school, he throws his backpack in the corner and flops down on the bed to groan into his pillow.

He came so, so close to confessing today, with Marc’s face mere inches away from his, so close he could count his stupidly long eyelashes and the faint freckles sprayed over his cheeks. But the words got stuck in his throat, even when Marc looked up and their eyes met and Nathaniel realized, belatedly, that their noses were almost touching and he could feel Marc’s breath on his lips.

Nathaniel sighs and rolls over onto his back, glancing at his phone as it starts to vibrate against the sheets.

“Hello?” He answers it and rolls over onto his stomach. “What’s up, Alix?”

“Did you seriously just get home?” Alix laughs on the other side. “I’ve been trying to reach you for the last hour, you know?”

Nathaniel raises his eyebrows and checks his missed calls. He winces a bit. “Sorry, I had my phone on vibrate so I didn’t hear you. What’s up?”

“Nothing much, just bored.” There’s a faint sound on the other side, like she just dropped back against her bed. “There’s not much to do at home now that I finished homework.”

“You can try studying,” he points out and laughs. “I’ll probably need to start illustrating the next volume soon, since Marc and I went through the plot points today. I’ll have to call him over one of these days so we can work on it together.”

“Speaking of, how’s that whole situation going?” She asks, drawling to tease him. “ You know, your totally-not-crush.”

Nathaniel groans and drops his face into his pillow. “I almost confessed to him today,” he says, voice a bit muffled. “He was - he was  _ there _ , so close and I wanted to say it but -  _ ugh _ .” He holds it tighter. “Maybe when we go out on Saturday, he asked me to go to the movies.”

Alix laughs on the other side. “So you’re gonna confess to him on your date?”

“It’s not a date,” he insists. “I mean, I’d like it to be a date but he meant in a totally platonic way. You know, two friends hanging out. Strictly platonic.”

“Oh, sure,” she drawls again. “And Chloe isn’t in love with her own reflection.”

“I’m being serious,” he huffs. “It’s not a date, we’re just going to the movies. You and Marinette go to the movies and yet I don’t see you two dating.”

“Well, Marinette and I aren’t two pining idiots.” She snorts. “Scratch that, Marinette is but not for me so it’s a whole different situation.”

“Who are you calling an idiot?” He huffs.   
  
“You.”

“Wow, a bit rude. Why are you my best friend again?”

“Cause of my amazing personality,” she says and they both laugh, but it’s true.

“So?” She says once she calms down. “What’d you two decide on for the next volume? I’m seriously on the edge of my seat here, you know, that last cliffhanger was pure evil.”

“What’s the point in telling you?” He grins. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”

“Awww, come on, Nath,” she complains, concealed laughter in her voice. 

“Nope, not gonna happen. That’s what you get for calling me an idiot.”

A few hours later, when Nathaniel is warm and comfortable in his pyjamas and using one hand to towel-dry his hair, his phone beeps with an incoming message. He reaches over and smiles when he sees Marc’s name flashing on the screen.

 

 

  * __I checked the time, would at 3.30 work for you?__



 

  
  


 

  * **_**_Sure! What movie are we gonna see anyway?_**_**



 

 

 

  * __XXXXX! Wanted to see it for a while heh__



 

 

Just as Nathaniel’s typing up a response, Marc sends another message.

 

_   So glad you agreed to go with me, ty <3 _

 

Nathaniel’s breath hitches at the heart emoji. He can’t stop himself from smiling wide, burying his face in his pillow as the flame of hope flickers in his chest. He knows it’s fruitless but god does he not care.

  
  


 

  * ****Of course I did, thanks for asking me to go <3 really looking forward to it****



 

 

 

  * __Me too <3 good night, Nath__



 

 

_ Nath _ .  _ Oh my god. _ He buries his head into his pillow again to stop the soppy smile from spreading across his face.

 

 

  * ****Night, Marc :)****



 

Nathaniel ends up falling asleep like that, while staring at the messages. When he wakes up, his battery is nearing 0% but honestly, it’s worth it.

-

Marc ends up being almost half an hour early, but he can’t help it, he’s just too excited. He keeps tugging at the hem of his red hoodie, checks the time on his watch, then goes back to fiddling with a loose thread or playing with his fingers. It feels like an eternity until Nathaniel comes, but he’s ten minutes early himself so Marc doesn't mind.

“Sorry, have you been waiting long?” Nathaniel smiles at him when he stops in front of him, hands in his pocket. Marc shakes his head.

“My fault for getting so excited I got here half an hour early.” He gives a sheepish smile and motions towards the ticket booth. “Should we get the tickets? The movie shouldn't be on for another half an hour though so we'll have to wait for a while.”

“‘s ok, no rush,” Nathaniel says and drops down onto the seat next to him. “We can just hang out for a while, we haven’t done that in a while cause we’ve been so busy planning for the next volume.”

Marc nods and scoots a bit closer, so close their legs brush together. But it’s fine now because he  _ can _ . “Yeah, it’s been hectic lately,” he agrees and kicks his legs a bit. “I’ve really missed just talking to you.”

“Yeah, me too.” Nathaniel smiles at him. “We’ll probably get more time to hang out when we’re done with the volume, so in a week? Cause this one is gonna be  _ good _ . Alix is so pissed at me for the last cliffhanger.” He laughs and Marc can’t help but laugh along.

“I don’t blame her, I’d be pretty annoyed with it too if I wasn’t the one who wrote it,” he muses when his laughter dies out, “But it’s good to keep the readers on your toes sometimes.”

“She called me yesterday ‘cause she was bored, and we spent at least an hour arguing about whether I should tell her what happens or not, me obviously being of the opinion that I shouldn’t. It was actually hilarious.”

“I actually talked to Marinette briefly about that, too, she told me the cliffhanger was really frustrating but that she’s loving what we’ve done so far.” He grins proudly at that. “And other people seemed to like it, so.”

“We’re an awesome team,” Nathaniel agrees and offers his hand for a high five that Marc returns with a laugh. “Don’t think there’s ever been a team better than us.”

“Chat Noir and Ladybug?” Marc offers with a raised eyebrow and an amused curl of his lips. Nathaniel dismissively waves his hand.

“We’re even better than that.”

“Not sure Paris’ll agree but sure.”   
  
“They just don’t know us,” Nathaniel insists. “If they did, they’d know.”

Marc laughs and smiles fondly up at him. “Whatever you say, Nath.” He shakes his head.

When he looks back up again, there’s a faint trace of colour to Nathaniel’s cheeks. “What?”   
  
“Sorry, just not used to you calling me Nath.” Nathaniel rubs the back of his neck. Marc blinks.

“Do you… not want me to? Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable - “

“No, no, it’s ok,” Nathaniel quickly interrupts him. “I  - I really don’t mind it, I was just surprised.”

Marc relaxes his shoulders a bit. “Are you sure?”   
  
“Yeah, I like it. “ Nathaniel smiles at him and Marc smiles back. 

They talk for ten more minutes, then another ten until they have to get up to get to the ticket booth so they wouldn’t miss the movie.  Marc looks up at him while Nathaniel hoists his backpack on his back.

“You buy popcorn and I’ll buy the tickets? There’s a huge line for both so we don’t have a lot of time.” He motions at both lines, both long enough for them to have to wait for at least a few minutes.

“Sounds good,” Nathaniel agrees. He grins at him. “Meet you in a few minutes?”

Marc smiles and nods. “Meet you in a few,” he says and grins back before hurrying to the line, almost bouncing on the balls of his feet. 

-

“That was so good,” Marc sighs happily as they exit the cinema together a few hours later, still riding on the high of a satisfying ending and an amazing movie. He looks up at Nathaniel with a grin. “What did you think?”   
  
“I liked it, but your reactions to the movie were even better.” Nathaniel laughs, hands still stuffed in his pockets. “I’m pretty sure they were tempted to throw us out, you know?”   
  
“I couldn’t help it, it was so good.” He huffs and scratces the back of his head. “Was I really that loud?”

“Well, just a bit, but I’m mostly just teasing. It was cute, anyway, and apart from the part where you started bawling your eyes out, I don’t think anyone really heard you since there were barely any people in, anyway.”   
  
“Hey!” Marc laughs and hits his shoulder. “It was a sad scene and I have a heart.”   
  
“Guess I don’t then?” Nathaniel snorts and raises his eyebrows. Marc huffs.

“That’s not what I meant, I know you don’t really get emotional watching movies.”   
  
“Someone’d probably have to be dying for me to cry,” he agrees. “Like in that one movie me and Alix went to watch one time and the main character died. I really did cry that time.”   
  
“Alix sent me a snap of your teary face when you two were coming out of the cinema, I remember that one.” Marc laughs and smiles as he thinks back on it. “I was really worried for a bit then I remembered you went to the cinema with her that day so I just figured you watched a sad movie.”   
  
“Alix showed me the snap you sent her, I thought it was cute how worried you got,” Nathaniel says and smiles, too. “It was nice.”   
  
“Well, of course I worried. I’ve never seen you cry before.” Marc smiles sheepishly. “I thought something serious happened.”   
  
“And in the end your worry got wasted ‘cause it was just a movie.”   
  
“I wouldn’t say it got wasted.” Marc shrugs. “I was just glad nothing happened.”   
  
Nathaniel ducks his head a bit, brushing his bangs out of his eyes. There’s a small smile on his lips when he lets his hand fall back down to his sides. “Well, thanks for caring, I guess.”   
  
“Of course I care.” Marc grins and laughs. “Kind of hard not to when I like you.”

Nathaniel’s steps suddenly falter and Marc ends up a few steps in front of him before he turns around to look at him. Nathaniel’s face is… doing something weird, where it’s almost as red as his hair, his eyebrows raising up into his hairline and mouth agape, as if Marc just told him something he doesn’t know. “Nath?”   
  
“Ummm, say that last part again?” He says, voice tight.

Marc furrows his eyebrows again. “Kind of hard not to when I like you…?”   
  
“Like me? In what way?”

“Romantic. I thought that would have been obvious, since I asked you out on a date…” His heart starts doing something weird in his chest and his stomach is knots again. He starts tugging on the hems of his sleeves. “Nath, is everything ok?”   


There’s silence for a few short seconds but in Marc’s ears, they ring like minutes. 

  
“A date? This was a date?” Nathaniel finally says and his face somehow manages to turn redder under the orange glow of the sunset behind them. 

Marc gulps down the knot forming in his throat. “Oh… Yeah, well, I thought it was, but if you didn’t - “   
  
“I did,” Nathaniel quickly interrupts him. “Well, I wanted it to be.” He waves his arms around like a madman. Marc bites his bottom lip as he stares at him.

“You don’t have to pretend…”   
  
“I’m not,” Nathaniel quickly interrupts him. “I’m not. I just argued with Alix yesterday cause she kept saying this was a date and it was - was getting my hopes up so I didn’t want to believe it but I  _ wanted  _ it to be a date.”   
  
Something akin to a hot flame lights up in Marc’s chest, like hope and happiness and he brings his hand up to grasp at his own arm, slowly looking up from the ground. “You did?”   
  
“Yeah,” Nathaniel says, voice closer to an exhale. “I did.”

Marc slowly allows himself to smile. “Sorry, I thought I was clear yesterday… I should have made it more obvious that I was trying to, you know.”   
  
“I mean, now that I think about it, it was kind of obvious.” Nathaniel smiles back. “You were all red and you looked so nervous. I just couldn’t believe someone like you could like someone like me.”   
  
Marc narrows his eyes. “Someone like you? Nathaniel, you’re amazing and kind and so witty and you have a great sense of humor and you’re so talkative when you’re with someone you trust and you’re such a good artist and - “

“Okay, okay, I get it, let’s not fight about my low self-esteem.” Nathaniel looks away to hide his smile but Marc just comes closer.

“I’ll always fight about your low self-esteem cause you’re one of the most amazing people I know,” he says softly and smiles up at him. 

“Says you? Not like your self-esteem is any better even though you’re so amazing and thoughtful and so shy it’s honestly cute and you’re so smart and so creative and - “ Nathaniel gets interrupted by Marc’s laugh. “What? It’s true.”   
  
“If you say so.” Marc ducks his head a bit and rubs at his elbow. “Want me to… Walk you home? People walk each other home after dates, right?”   
  
“Wouldn’t know, I’ve never been on one before this,” Nathaniel admits and tilts Marc’s chin up a bit so he could smile at him. “But I’d love it if you did.”   
  
Marc flushes and smiles back. “I’d love that, too.” And finally, finally he lets himself reach out and take his hand, lacing their fingers and giving his hand a squeeze.

And his hand  _ is  _ warm and soft and everything he’ll ever dream of.

  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> These two are the kind of couple who have genuine fights about who is more amazing and I'm in love with that
> 
> This is my first time writing these two so pls be gentle
> 
> Find me on twitter @chuarebeautiful and on tumblr @seleneslyre ! Pls i'm lonely


End file.
